title: Prenatal exposure to ethanol: a specific effect on the H19 gene in sperm.
abstract: Alcohol exposure during pregnancy induces a range of disorders in the offspring. Methylation changes in imprinted genes may play a role in the teratogenic effects of alcohol. We evaluated the possible effects of alcohol administration in pregnant mice on the methylation pattern of 5 imprinted genes (H19, Gtl2, Peg1, Snrpn and Peg3) in somatic and sperm cell DNAs of the male offspring. The effects observed were a 3% (p < 0.005) decrease in the number of methylated CpGs of H19 in the F1 offspring sperm, a 4% (p < 0.005) decrease in the number of methylated CpGs of H19 in the F2 offspring brain and a 26% (p < 0.05) decrease in the mean sperm concentration. CpGs 1 and 2 of the H19 CTCF-binding site 2 exhibited significant methylation percentage losses. H19 CTCF-binding sites are important for the regulation of Igf2 gene expression. The hypomethylation of H19 may contribute to the decreased spermatogenesis in the offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospital, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stouder
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Somm
authors.forename: Ariane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paoloni-Giacobino
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000187:drug effects; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D018392:Genomic Imprinting / Q000187:drug effects; D005865:Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C094335:H19 long non-coding RNA; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D000431:Ethanol